For the last few bulletin articles we’ve looked at the importance of reading Christian books to help us understand the Bible. This week I want to look at how we need help because our Bibles are based on a constructed text.
When people claim that you only need to read Bible, the question is which Bible? We’ve already looked at how there are different translations of the Bible, but what we haven’t looked at is how translations are usually based on a collection of original manuscripts – not one copy of the Bible alone. We have to do this because we do not possess the original documents upon which the books of the Bible were first written. In other words, we don’t have the original copy of Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus.
So what do we have? We have a vast number of copies of the original writings. But because these aren’t photocopies, they have discrepancies in them from the scribes that copied them. Therefore whenever anyone wants to translate the Bible, they must first decide which texts they will translate from. And usually instead of sticking to one copy alone, translations are based on a reconstruction of the text by including different copies at different points using carefully defined rules. (Now none of this is to suggest that important points of doctrine are disputed between copies of the Bible. The differences are few and no major doctrine is disputed through variations in the copies).
So how do you know if there are differences in copies in a verse of the Bible? Usually good translations note major differences in the margins. But often you will have to do some reading about that variation in a good book on the subject or in a commentary. An example of a variation is the end of Mark’s gospel. Between Mark 16:8 and Mark 16:9 we read in the NIV translation ‘The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.’ Now you have a decision to make. Do you accept Mark 16:9-20 as authoritative about Jesus’ life on earth or not? In my opinion, there appear to be good reasons to say that Mark 16:9-20 was probably not part of the original gospel. Therefore I don’t read it in my devotions and I wouldn’t preach from it. But I’m only able to make this decision because I’m willing to read other books as well as my translated copy of the Bible.
Do you read other books because you know your Bible is based on a constructed text?
Joel Radford.
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Read the Bible AND other books because it was written in different literary genres
In previous bulletin articles we’ve looked at the importance of reading Christian books to help us understand the Bible. This week I want to look at how we need help because the Bible is written in different literary genres.
Literary genres are the types of writings by which content is expressed. Ryken, a Biblical scholar, writes: ‘The two main genres in the Bible are narrative and poetry. Numerous categories cluster under each of these. Narrative subtypes, e.g., include hero story, gospel, epic, tragedy, comedy (a U-shaped plot with a happy ending), and parable. Specific poetic genres keep multiplying as well: lyric, lament psalm, praise psalm, love poem, nature poem…and many others. But those are only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to narrative and poetry, we find prophecy, visionary writing, apocalypse, pastoral, encomium, oratory, drama (the book of Job), satire, and epistle. Then if we add more specific forms like travel story, dramatic monologue, doom song, and Christ hymn, the number of literary genres in the Bible readily exceeds a hundred.’
But why is it important to pay attention to literary genres? Ryken continues: ‘The importance of genre to biblical interpretation is that genres have their own methods of procedure and rules of interpretation. An awareness of genre should alert us to what we can expect to find in a text. Additionally, considerations of genre should govern the terms in which we interact with a text. With narrative, e.g., we are on the right track if we pay attention to plot, setting, and character. If the text before us is a satire, we need to think in terms of object of attack, the satiric vehicle in which the attack is couched, and satiric norm (stated or implied standard by which the criticism is being conducted).’
Now if you only read your Bible, you might be clever enough to recognise a piece of poetry when you see it and distinguish it from narrative. But often we need the advice of respected scholars to help us understand what’s going on. So when you read in Matthew 5:29 ‘If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away’, you understand that Jesus is using hyperbole to make a point. He isn’t advocating self-mutilation.
Do you read other books because you know your Bible is written in many literary genres and you need help to understand their differences?
Joel Radford.
Literary genres are the types of writings by which content is expressed. Ryken, a Biblical scholar, writes: ‘The two main genres in the Bible are narrative and poetry. Numerous categories cluster under each of these. Narrative subtypes, e.g., include hero story, gospel, epic, tragedy, comedy (a U-shaped plot with a happy ending), and parable. Specific poetic genres keep multiplying as well: lyric, lament psalm, praise psalm, love poem, nature poem…and many others. But those are only the tip of the iceberg. In addition to narrative and poetry, we find prophecy, visionary writing, apocalypse, pastoral, encomium, oratory, drama (the book of Job), satire, and epistle. Then if we add more specific forms like travel story, dramatic monologue, doom song, and Christ hymn, the number of literary genres in the Bible readily exceeds a hundred.’
But why is it important to pay attention to literary genres? Ryken continues: ‘The importance of genre to biblical interpretation is that genres have their own methods of procedure and rules of interpretation. An awareness of genre should alert us to what we can expect to find in a text. Additionally, considerations of genre should govern the terms in which we interact with a text. With narrative, e.g., we are on the right track if we pay attention to plot, setting, and character. If the text before us is a satire, we need to think in terms of object of attack, the satiric vehicle in which the attack is couched, and satiric norm (stated or implied standard by which the criticism is being conducted).’
Now if you only read your Bible, you might be clever enough to recognise a piece of poetry when you see it and distinguish it from narrative. But often we need the advice of respected scholars to help us understand what’s going on. So when you read in Matthew 5:29 ‘If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away’, you understand that Jesus is using hyperbole to make a point. He isn’t advocating self-mutilation.
Do you read other books because you know your Bible is written in many literary genres and you need help to understand their differences?
Joel Radford.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Read the Bible AND other books because it was written by different human authors
For the last few bulletin articles we’ve looked at the importance of reading Christian books to help us understand the Bible. This week I want to look at how we need help because the Bible was written by different human authors.
The New Testament alone was written by at least eight authors: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter and Jude. The Old Testament had many more. Yet we know that all authors have their own style and that sometimes they even have their own meaning for different words. For example the word ‘bill’ could be something you pay, try to bring into law, run from (if you’re a criminal) or even eat with (if you’re a bird). To know what is meant requires knowledge of the context. This could include understanding who is talking about the ‘bill’.
In the Bible some of the same words are used by different authors to mean very different things. For example God’s ‘call’ in Matthew’s gospel means invited by God to become a Christian. We see this in the parable of the Wedding Banquet where God is pictured as a King who ‘calls’ people to come to his feast: ‘And he sent out his slaves to call (kaleo) those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come’ (Matthew 22:3; NAS). This call of God is clearly not an effective call because the people refuse to come. The parable ends: ‘For many are called, but few are chosen’ (Matthew 22:14; NAS).
Whereas when Paul speaks about the ‘call’ of God it is always an effective ‘call’: ‘For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Romans 8:29-30).’ If you’re called by God, you are definitely saved because you are also glorified. When Paul says ‘call’ he means ‘saved’, not ‘invited’.
Now if you didn’t read other books, you might be able to figure this out on your own. But it is more likely that you just wouldn’t clearly understand what it means to be ‘called’ by God.
Do you read other books because you know your Bible is written by many authors and you need help to understand their differences?
Joel Radford.
The New Testament alone was written by at least eight authors: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, James, Peter and Jude. The Old Testament had many more. Yet we know that all authors have their own style and that sometimes they even have their own meaning for different words. For example the word ‘bill’ could be something you pay, try to bring into law, run from (if you’re a criminal) or even eat with (if you’re a bird). To know what is meant requires knowledge of the context. This could include understanding who is talking about the ‘bill’.
In the Bible some of the same words are used by different authors to mean very different things. For example God’s ‘call’ in Matthew’s gospel means invited by God to become a Christian. We see this in the parable of the Wedding Banquet where God is pictured as a King who ‘calls’ people to come to his feast: ‘And he sent out his slaves to call (kaleo) those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come’ (Matthew 22:3; NAS). This call of God is clearly not an effective call because the people refuse to come. The parable ends: ‘For many are called, but few are chosen’ (Matthew 22:14; NAS).
Whereas when Paul speaks about the ‘call’ of God it is always an effective ‘call’: ‘For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified (Romans 8:29-30).’ If you’re called by God, you are definitely saved because you are also glorified. When Paul says ‘call’ he means ‘saved’, not ‘invited’.
Now if you didn’t read other books, you might be able to figure this out on your own. But it is more likely that you just wouldn’t clearly understand what it means to be ‘called’ by God.
Do you read other books because you know your Bible is written by many authors and you need help to understand their differences?
Joel Radford.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Read the Bible AND other books because it was given in a different language
For the last few bulletin articles we’ve looked at the importance of reading Christian books to help us understand the Bible. This week I want to look at how we need help because the Bible wasn’t given to us in our language.
God in his wisdom did not give us his word in English. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (with some small portions in Aramaic) and the New Testament was written in Greek. And even if you speak a Hebrew or Greek language that is used in parts of the world today, the Bible is written in an ancient form of those languages. It is not in anyone’s native language.
Therefore everyone needs some help trying to understand what was originally written. Either we need to learn the original languages or read a translation written by someone else. Most of us choose to use a translation. But this is where you have to be careful as no translation is perfect.
All translators (not just those translating the Bible) have to make decisions about the meaning of the word or group of words in the original language and find a similar meaning in the translation language. But it is not always easy to do. For example, in some translations of 1 Peter 2:24 we read that Jesus bore our sins in his body on the ‘tree’ (NIV, ESV, KJV), but other translations have on the ‘cross’ (NAS, TNIV). Now the original Greek word (xulon) is definitely used in other writings to refer to trees (like the tree of life in Revelation 22:2), but in a number of writings it is also used to refer to what Jesus was crucified on; which was most definitely a ‘cross’. But there is a specific Greek word for ‘cross’ (stauros) that is used by the gospel writers to describe Jesus’ crucifixion. So it is interesting that Peter didn’t use it. Why? One possible reason is that Peter wanted to emphasise that Jesus was cursed: ‘anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse’ (Deuteronomy 21:23). Now if you were reading the NAS translation as your Bible, you might easily miss this point. But if you recognised the inadequacy of Bible translations to perfectly translate and so you read other books (and translations!) to help you understand the Bible, you are more likely to understand that Jesus didn’t just die a painful death, but an accursed death!
Do you read other books because you know your translated Bible is not perfect and you need help to understand the original?
Joel Radford.
God in his wisdom did not give us his word in English. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (with some small portions in Aramaic) and the New Testament was written in Greek. And even if you speak a Hebrew or Greek language that is used in parts of the world today, the Bible is written in an ancient form of those languages. It is not in anyone’s native language.
Therefore everyone needs some help trying to understand what was originally written. Either we need to learn the original languages or read a translation written by someone else. Most of us choose to use a translation. But this is where you have to be careful as no translation is perfect.
All translators (not just those translating the Bible) have to make decisions about the meaning of the word or group of words in the original language and find a similar meaning in the translation language. But it is not always easy to do. For example, in some translations of 1 Peter 2:24 we read that Jesus bore our sins in his body on the ‘tree’ (NIV, ESV, KJV), but other translations have on the ‘cross’ (NAS, TNIV). Now the original Greek word (xulon) is definitely used in other writings to refer to trees (like the tree of life in Revelation 22:2), but in a number of writings it is also used to refer to what Jesus was crucified on; which was most definitely a ‘cross’. But there is a specific Greek word for ‘cross’ (stauros) that is used by the gospel writers to describe Jesus’ crucifixion. So it is interesting that Peter didn’t use it. Why? One possible reason is that Peter wanted to emphasise that Jesus was cursed: ‘anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse’ (Deuteronomy 21:23). Now if you were reading the NAS translation as your Bible, you might easily miss this point. But if you recognised the inadequacy of Bible translations to perfectly translate and so you read other books (and translations!) to help you understand the Bible, you are more likely to understand that Jesus didn’t just die a painful death, but an accursed death!
Do you read other books because you know your translated Bible is not perfect and you need help to understand the original?
Joel Radford.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Read the Bible AND other books because it is from a different culture
For the last two bulletin articles we’ve started looking at the importance of reading Christian books to help us understand the Bible. This week I want to look at how we need help reading the Bible because it is from a different culture.
A good example of someone from a foreign culture not understanding the Bible is the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8: ‘Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus’ (Acts 8:26-35).
Here is a man who isn’t a Jew trying to understand something written by a Jewish prophet who lived centuries ago. Yet he cannot. Everyone alive today is in the same situation when they read the Bible: they are reading the writing of people from cultures that are basically non-existent today. This means that when they really try to study it in depth, they will get into all kinds of trouble if they don’t have someone to help them understand it. And thankfully God still blesses the world with Philips to explain the Bible to us. And you usually access them through your local church or through reading good Christian books.
Do you recognise that often you are at a loss to understand God’s word because you need someone to explain it? Do you seek help from Christian books?
Joel Radford.
A good example of someone from a foreign culture not understanding the Bible is the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8: ‘Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road--the desert road--that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth." The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus’ (Acts 8:26-35).
Here is a man who isn’t a Jew trying to understand something written by a Jewish prophet who lived centuries ago. Yet he cannot. Everyone alive today is in the same situation when they read the Bible: they are reading the writing of people from cultures that are basically non-existent today. This means that when they really try to study it in depth, they will get into all kinds of trouble if they don’t have someone to help them understand it. And thankfully God still blesses the world with Philips to explain the Bible to us. And you usually access them through your local church or through reading good Christian books.
Do you recognise that often you are at a loss to understand God’s word because you need someone to explain it? Do you seek help from Christian books?
Joel Radford.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Read the Bible AND other books because its content is hard
Last time I began a series of articles commending Christian books. This week I want to demonstrate that we need help reading the Bible because it is such a difficult book.
We usually recognise we need help reading the Bible simply because it is such a large book. In fact the Bible is a library within itself containing 66 books; some short, some long. In the New International Version there are 1,189 chapters, 31,086 verses and 726,628 words. Simply put, any human mind boggles at the thought of trying to understand such a long book!
Another reason people recognise they need help reading the Bible is because of its content. Some parts of it are easy to read, some parts are extremely hard to read. Even the authors of the Bible admit difficulty in reading other parts of the Bible: ‘Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction’ (2 Peter 3:15-16). If Peter finds Paul hard, it is not surprising that we find the Bible intimidating because of its difficult content.
Also, and this is the biggest reason, we need help reading the Bible because it is difficult for our sinful minds to understand. The Bible tells us that non-Christians will find it impossible to understand, but even Christians find the Bible difficult to understand because of their sinfulness. The author of Hebrews says this when he writes to his Christian audience: ‘We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!’ (Hebrews 5:11-12). Let’s face it, Christians are slow learners – we need teachers.
So we must recognise we need help if we are to understand the Bible. Next week, I will talk about some of the ways that God helps you understand the Bible, including through Christian books. But this week, I want to ask whether you recognise you need help understanding the Bible? Or are you too arrogant to acknowledge your helplessness?
Joel Radford.
We usually recognise we need help reading the Bible simply because it is such a large book. In fact the Bible is a library within itself containing 66 books; some short, some long. In the New International Version there are 1,189 chapters, 31,086 verses and 726,628 words. Simply put, any human mind boggles at the thought of trying to understand such a long book!
Another reason people recognise they need help reading the Bible is because of its content. Some parts of it are easy to read, some parts are extremely hard to read. Even the authors of the Bible admit difficulty in reading other parts of the Bible: ‘Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction’ (2 Peter 3:15-16). If Peter finds Paul hard, it is not surprising that we find the Bible intimidating because of its difficult content.
Also, and this is the biggest reason, we need help reading the Bible because it is difficult for our sinful minds to understand. The Bible tells us that non-Christians will find it impossible to understand, but even Christians find the Bible difficult to understand because of their sinfulness. The author of Hebrews says this when he writes to his Christian audience: ‘We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!’ (Hebrews 5:11-12). Let’s face it, Christians are slow learners – we need teachers.
So we must recognise we need help if we are to understand the Bible. Next week, I will talk about some of the ways that God helps you understand the Bible, including through Christian books. But this week, I want to ask whether you recognise you need help understanding the Bible? Or are you too arrogant to acknowledge your helplessness?
Joel Radford.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Read the Bible AND other books because you have presuppositions
The Bible is like no other book. It is written by men but it is also written by God. And as God does not make mistakes, his word is also without error. And as no other book can make such a claim it is all too easy for us to dismiss all other writings as junk and read only the Bible. So today I want to start a new series on commending the reading of Christian books. And the first thing I want to do is challenge a false assumption.
One of the reasons people dismiss the reading of other books is because they say they only want the Bible to influence them. They assume that if they read other books interpreting the Bible, e.g. commentaries, the commentaries will influence them instead of the word of God.
The problem with this idea is that it fails to recognise you are already under influences before you pick up the Bible. You have presuppositions from your parents, your teachers at school, your peers, your television set. And if you have been a faithful church-attending Christian for any length of time, you have presuppositions about the Bible from the teachings of the church.
So to claim that you read the Bible alone without any helps, fails to recognise that you are already being helped. As soon as you pick up the Bible and open it, your mind has kicked into gear and is interpreting the text with whatever you understand certain words, phrases and sentences to mean. And when you come to familiar verses you might only read these in light of what your Sunday School teacher, Bible study leader or minister taught you. Influences are already there in your head. And while many of them may be good, many of them can be bad influences. Particularly because those ideas have arisen from either your own sinful brain or the sinful brains of others.
How does this point help encourage you to read Christian books? Because it challenges the false idea that when you read the Bible alone, you are indeed reading alone. You are not alone. There is a whole host of people there in the room with you. This excuse simply is not an excuse for ignoring Christian books that help you understand the Bible.
Next week I will look at how God gives us other people to help explain the Bible to us. But this week I want to ask you whether you recognise that you already have presuppositions when you read your Bible?
Joel Radford.
One of the reasons people dismiss the reading of other books is because they say they only want the Bible to influence them. They assume that if they read other books interpreting the Bible, e.g. commentaries, the commentaries will influence them instead of the word of God.
The problem with this idea is that it fails to recognise you are already under influences before you pick up the Bible. You have presuppositions from your parents, your teachers at school, your peers, your television set. And if you have been a faithful church-attending Christian for any length of time, you have presuppositions about the Bible from the teachings of the church.
So to claim that you read the Bible alone without any helps, fails to recognise that you are already being helped. As soon as you pick up the Bible and open it, your mind has kicked into gear and is interpreting the text with whatever you understand certain words, phrases and sentences to mean. And when you come to familiar verses you might only read these in light of what your Sunday School teacher, Bible study leader or minister taught you. Influences are already there in your head. And while many of them may be good, many of them can be bad influences. Particularly because those ideas have arisen from either your own sinful brain or the sinful brains of others.
How does this point help encourage you to read Christian books? Because it challenges the false idea that when you read the Bible alone, you are indeed reading alone. You are not alone. There is a whole host of people there in the room with you. This excuse simply is not an excuse for ignoring Christian books that help you understand the Bible.
Next week I will look at how God gives us other people to help explain the Bible to us. But this week I want to ask you whether you recognise that you already have presuppositions when you read your Bible?
Joel Radford.
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